HiRez Poll XTC - DRUMS & WIRES [DVD-A/BluRay Audio]

[sjcorne]

I voted an 8. Amazing mix and fidelity, but it's my least favorite of the series content-wise. Only a few tracks from this one ("Making Plans For Nigel", "Day In Day Out", "Ten Feet Tall") made my XTC sampler car disc. It's just a little too wacky for my taste.

 

[marpow]

I’ll go with a 10 now that I am an XTC fan. Sounds fantastic. I am glad I am going backwards from Black Sea as when I appreciate the band it makes it better. Each of the 3 XTC surrounds I have listened to have completely different vibes. This, Drums And Wires, is definitely a punk vibe but with that XTC sound.

 

[ergalthema]

Finally got around to this one. I've been a casual fan for a while, but never owned any XTC albums. This was so much fun! Instantly one of my favorite surround albums. I usually prefer proggier stuff with many layers, etc. This makes me want to hear more 80s rock with big snare reverb, etc. mixed in surround.

I went with a 9/10 because it felt a little repetitive after 3 or 4 songs, but got interesting again at Millions. I realize that's a subjective taste thing though.

 

[Scott65]

I gave this a 10. I gave Black Sea (my favourite XTC album) a 10 but said I would give it an 11 if I could. Upon listening to this straight after Black Sea, I think I would give it a 12 if I could

 

[Scott65]

I love real by reel.

So do I. I also like Colin's Fly on the wall...same topic from a different perspective

 

[humprof]

17 August 1979. I know what's on my Saturday playlist.

 

[Beefalo]

10 on all counts, except I don't like too many of the songs on this one - so voted 7... Feeling bad already.

You can always change your vote. I think this mix is incredible with great dynamics. I will admit that XTC isn't my cup of tea though...

 

[Monkish]

All of the XTC editions are excellent as far as surround mix and top-notch as far as bang for the buck, but since (rightly or wrongly) I tend to reserve my 10s for those albums whose actual songs knock me out the most, I give Drums and Wires an enthusiastic 9. The second half of the album sags a bit (song-wise) for me, and the mix on Real By Reel just kinda lays there — the surrounds don’t really ever come to life on that one except for the bridge.

However, surround-wise, the drums on Making Plans For Nigel may be the best beginning of any album in my collection.

 

[Albert Dagger]

It's 9 for me. The surround mix is truly enjoyable. You can't go wrong with any of the XTC surround releases really. I really like the album, so this was a pleasant surprise from start to finish. Highly recommended.

I think I also prefer the stereo remix to the original mix included in the package (which also sounds great). A/B'ing the two mixes, it's easy to notice the main differences, which are for me the balance of drums and bass (too high on the original mix). I don't think that works in all cases. It took me a while to get used to the more dynamic and less punchy presentation of the remix, but I know think the SW remix is superior in both stereo and surround. Let's say the stereo remix sounds more audiophile, maybe less fun on some songs?

EDIT: I've changed my vote to 10. I've now listened to all of the XTC remixes in surround, and I think that this and Black Sea are the most fun of all. This is not to say that Skylarking, O&L and Nonsuch are not great, because they are. Just I don't see any reason not to give 10 to this!

 

[Neil Palfreyman]

Coming from XTC's home town, I'm slightly embarrassed to say that they completely passed me by back in the day. I was far too busy with what I considered to be the more serious music of Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd etc. But my tastes have matured with age, and I now think I have a very eclectic appreciation (and collection.) I should add that one of the many things I love about surround music is that appreciation of a good mix and production can often (even should) come first - over and above genre and musical style; life in surround encourages us to broaden our musical horizons!

With this in mind, I bought all of the XTC 5.1 remixes to date, purely on the strength of SW mixing them. But I haven't reviewed them until now. Getting my new AV/Dirac system has encouraged me to dig back into the material I haven't played in a long time, and this afternoon it was the turn of "Drums and Wires." The rest of the XTC surround mixes will come over the next few days/weeks.

This entire surround package is immense in every respect. The vast amount of material on the Blu Ray, and for such a stupidly cheap price, is reason alone to buy it! The whole thirteen song album plus another eleven bonus songs all mixed in surround is just the start of the package, but obviously the reason we're all here. The fidelity of the production is phenomenal - someone must have kept those master tapes in great condition, or spent a long time cleaning them up, and the SW surround mixes are everything you would expect them to be; tasteful, dynamic, enveloping and very much in keeping with the groove of the songs. It's a sonic masterpiece and a real delight to play on a good, well set up surround system.

I've also found an unexpected appreciation for the material itself. Sure, it is "of it's time" to some degree, but it's eclectic with shades of Ska, Punk, Indie and even a bit of West Coast thrown in, but I'm also hearing a lot of progressive stuff, in the true, boundary-pushing sense of prog. Maybe I shouldn't be suprised by this, as Dave Gregory was such a good fit into Big Big Train, and his superb but, sadly, short lived "Tin Spirits" project was prog as prog can be.

Easily a ten, and it leaves me quite excited at the prospect of going back and listening to the rest of the 5.1 releases in their catalogue.

 

[Scott65]

Easily a ten, and it leaves me quite excited at the prospect of going back and listening to the rest of the 5.1 releases in their catalogue.

You won't be disappointed - all the 5.1 albums are great in my opinion. I am hoping there will be more to come.

 

[DaveLaPorte53]

Bought the original vinyl back in the day, the new surround mixes are a great addition to this album

 

[IMachine]

This is my favorite one!

 

[ngv99]

Nothing to be said about the XTC releases that hasn't already been said, but this is yet another phenomenal one. I still like Black Sea the most, but this is close. Making Plans for Nigel will just thunder all around your room and it just goes up from there. It's a 9 from me.

 

[Scottie-boy]

It's an easy 10. The balanced, discrete mix is unbelievable - not unlike the other SW mixes for XTC. and great music ahead of it's time.

 

[humprof]

42d Anniversary piece in Far Out magazine:
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/xtc-soundtrack-british-life-drums-and-wires/

 

[Matt Wilson]

A solid 9, possibly a 10 but I don't feel quite that generous at the moment. Wilson did his usual awesome mix with the first great XTC album. Is the series not going to continue? I'd love English Settlement or even Mummer.

 

[sjcorne]

Is the series not going to continue? I'd love English Settlement or even Mummer.

Ape House announced on Twitter this past January that Apple Venus would be next in the series, but Wilson mentioned on a recent podcast that they're having difficulty recovering the session recordings from the early digital format that album was tracked on.

They still haven't been able to locate complete multitrack tape sets for any of the remaining '80s albums, and I'd imagine that COVID has halted the search process for now.

 

[quadrifonico]

Engaging mix! You feel in the middle of the action, a helicopter flying around you, voices like you're in a crowd, etcetera. I just personally find the album boring to listen to the end...